HB2815 Update: Yes In God’s Back Yard Passes the House
Faith leaders, including Bishop Deborah Hutterer, speaking in favor of HB2815 at the state Capitol
Exciting News!
On Thursday, February 29th the Yes In God’s Back Yard bill passed the House of Representatives with a 38-21 vote! We have been working on HB2815 with Valley Interfaith Partnership for the last several weeks, and this progression is proof that your advocacy makes a real, valuable difference.
The bill had made little progress before VIP’s press conference, but the following influx of letters, calls, and emails from the public raised this bill up as a priority. We have heard from many lawmakers telling us that our input has made a substantial difference, particularly as people of faith. More than one representative was swayed to vote in favor of this bill by their own faith convictions.
A special thanks is owed to all of our faith leaders— from Bishop Hutterer, who advocated for this policy at VIP’s press conference, to our pastors, deacons, and congregational leaders who have done the tedious work of educating our communities about this bill and helping to cultivate a positive public opinion.
Thank you for your advocacy!
We encourage everyone to check how your representatives voted, and thank them if they voted in favor of HB2518. Click here, and search ‘HB2815.’ Scroll down, and click the blue “Show House Third” button on the left. This will bring up the voting record from the floor meeting.
What’s Next?
The fight to pass Yes In God’s Back Yard isn’t over! The bill will need to pass the Senate before being signed into law by the governor. Here are some ways we can help this bill pass!
Contact your state Senator— Click here to find your state Senator. Reach out to their office, and let them know that you are in favor of this bill! Let them know why this bill matters to you and that you will be watching its progress through committee.
Sign up in favor on RTS— If you haven’t weighed in on this bill, log into your RTS account, select “My Bill Positions” from the menu, and search for HB2815. Select “For” and click the blue “Add” button. Even as this bill transfers chambers, the record of public opinion stays with it! Senators will be able to look at who supports this bill as they make their decisions. If you don’t have a Request to Speak account, click here to learn more and sign up!
Share your stories— If you or your congregation have stories about the importance of housing on church land, share them! Write to our office, share them with your lawmakers, and include them in the Request to Speak comments.
Spread the word!— To pass a Housing bill this session, we are going to need to keep this momentum going! Continue to share YIGBY with your congregations, small groups, family and friends, and encourage them to join you in your advocacy!
To learn more about the details of Yes In God’s Back Yard, read our article from earlier this week. Click here to read the full bill text.
